Downy Woodpecker house dimensions
The Downy Woodpecker nests in excavates its own cavity in dead wood; uses roost boxes in winter A box built to its measurements — and no bigger — is what makes it choose yours.
The specifications
- Entrance hole
- 1 1/4 in round
- Floor (inside)
- 4 × 4 in
- Mounting height
- 5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings
- Bird size
- 5.5–6.7 in, 0.7–1.0 oz
- Clutch
- 3–8 eggs
- Incubation
- 12 days
- Time in nest
- 18–21 days
- Broods
- 1 per season
Build and mounting checklist
- Drill the entrance to exactly 1 1/4 in round — oversized holes let in European Starlings and larger predators.
- No outside perch: cavity nesters don't need one, and it helps House Sparrows and predators.
- Unpainted interior, 3/4-inch untreated wood (cedar or pine) or poly-lumber for insulation.
- Drainage holes in the floor corners and ventilation gaps under the roof.
- A side or front panel that opens so you can monitor and clean the box.
- Rough or grooved inner front wall so nestlings can climb out.
- Pole mount with a stovepipe or cone baffle to stop snakes, raccoons and cats.
When to put up a Downy Woodpecker box, by state
Boxes should be up and clean a month before local nesting starts. Dates shift with latitude:
| Place | Up by | Nesting | Clean out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | February | March–June | July |
| California | February | March–June | July |
| Florida | February | March–June | July |
| Georgia | February | March–June | July |
| Louisiana | February | March–June | July |
| Mississippi | February | March–June | July |
| South Carolina | February | March–June | July |
| Texas | February | March–June | July |
| Arkansas | March | April–June | July |
| Colorado | March | April–June | July |
| Connecticut | March | April–June | July |
| Delaware | March | April–June | July |
| Idaho | March | April–June | July |
| Illinois | March | April–June | July |
| Indiana | March | April–June | July |
| Iowa | March | April–June | July |
| Kansas | March | April–June | July |
| Kentucky | March | April–June | July |
| Maryland | March | April–June | July |
| Massachusetts | March | April–June | July |
| Missouri | March | April–June | July |
| Nebraska | March | April–June | July |
| Nevada | March | April–June | July |
| New Jersey | March | April–June | July |
| New Mexico | March | April–June | July |
| North Carolina | March | April–June | July |
| Ohio | March | April–June | July |
| Oklahoma | March | April–June | July |
| Oregon | March | April–June | July |
| Pennsylvania | March | April–June | July |
| Rhode Island | March | April–June | July |
| South Dakota | March | April–June | July |
| Tennessee | March | April–June | July |
| Utah | March | April–June | July |
| Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| Washington | March | April–June | July |
| West Virginia | March | April–June | July |
| Alaska | April | May–June | July |
| Alberta | April | May–June | July |
| British Columbia | April | May–June | July |
| Maine | April | May–June | July |
| Manitoba | April | May–June | July |
| Michigan | April | May–June | July |
| Minnesota | April | May–July | August |
| Montana | April | May–June | July |
| New Brunswick | April | May–June | July |
| New Hampshire | April | May–June | July |
| New York | April | May–June | July |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | April | May–June | July |
| North Dakota | April | May–June | July |
| Northwest Territories | April | May–June | July |
| Nova Scotia | April | May–July | August |
| Ontario | April | May–July | August |
| Prince Edward Island | April | May–June | July |
| Quebec | April | May–June | July |
| Saskatchewan | April | May–June | July |
| Vermont | April | May–June | July |
| Wisconsin | April | May–June | July |
| Wyoming | April | May–June | July |
| Yukon | April | May–June | July |
Full Downy Woodpecker species guide →
Frequently asked
What size hole does a Downy Woodpecker need?
1 1/4 in round. A hole cut to this size admits the Downy Woodpecker (5.5–6.7 in) while keeping out larger competitors.
How big should a Downy Woodpecker house be inside?
A floor of 4 × 4 in. The Downy Woodpecker lays 3–8 eggs, so the floor has to hold the full clutch plus growing nestlings.
How high should I mount a Downy Woodpecker box?
5–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings. Mount on a pole with a predator baffle where possible rather than a tree or fence.
How long does a Downy Woodpecker use the box?
Incubation takes 12 days and the young stay in the nest 18–21 days. Broods per year: 1 per season.
Sources
- Downy Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Downy Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Downy Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.